Observations And Experiences While Living And Working Abroad

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Monthly Archives: July 2014

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Yes, today I will talk to you, the already overbearing moms and the future overbearing moms. please stop being overbearing or don’t even become it, because your are ruining your son’s wedding night. You read correctly, his wedding night, I tell you. And here is how came to this conclusion. We wee riding around on our bikes when nature was calling me. So we went to K- Village, because it was conveniently close. As I walk towards the men’s room, I see the backside of and aforementioned overbearing mom. This one was from India. She was pleading into the men’s room for her son Shaji to please come. “Shaji, Shaji, please come for me? SHAJI, please come for me.” And so forth. You see, she said “come for me”, which is still correct English, but what she grammatically wanted to say was “come TO me”. As. I pardoned myself to enter the. Men’s room, I walked towards the little man, Shaji. He was a scrawny kid with very dark skin, barefoot with tousled black hair – boys boy. He was about seven years old and he raised his eyebrows in exasperation at me, when he saw me. As if to say, “Mom, either let me go alone like the big boy I am or come along and tell me what to do, but stop ‘distance-pee-pee-coaching’ me and embarrassing me. I will come out when. I am done, not when it is most convenient for you.” When. I saw that look on his face, I realized this has not been the first time his mom pulled that stunt. She has done so in the past and she will continue in the future. When he his having his first girl friend and is about to rap at that door that opens to the hallway from boyhood to manhood, she will interrupt yelling for him “to come for her” because she can’t reach the top shelf to put the dishes away or something similar. By that time his internal monologue will chuckle embarrassed about the request “come for her”. But what can he do, she is his mother and that’s the way it’s been for the last 17 years. By the time he finally gets married, and he is about to enjoy the wedding night, he might (note, I said might, not will, as in thee is no guarantee, but there is a high probability that we will, hence might) be so paranoid that when it comes to The Deed, he will hear the voice of his mom inside his head, requesting him “to come for her” and that would be very wrong and awkward. This is something you do not want to be responsible for, am I right. So, have a little faith in your sons when they are little and have increasing faith in your sons as they grow up. Remember, you and your husband raised them. If he can’t manage a toilet by himself at seven, YOU have failed, not him. Maybe he needs to gain that experience experimentally (trying -> failing -> adjusting -> succeeding) by himself.
Alright, with that out of the way, let’s move on to the pictures.
Wood, yes, we used wood at work. And I saw it at a different angle.
The little wood pieces we use are about 10 by 10 millimeters and we use them as separators. Anyway, I had dropped something on the floor and when I raised myself after picking it up, I had an unusual viewpoint.
I will close with a decoration, I saw today in a Vespa store, where we we’re looking for a Vespa for Barbara. Not that she will ride one, but it is a dream of her – as in romantic notion – to ride through life on a Vespa (albeit an automatic one, since they don’t make the proper four-speed-wrist transmission anymore. So, here we go – Deco In The Vespa Store:
So there you have it, one story about an overbearing mom and three photos that have absolutely nothing to do with the story about the mom.

Stay sharp and have some faith in the products of your upbringing, they are capable.

…Germany won the Football World Cup. Such a momentous event requires a very special commemoration. At work we did that by issuing a limited special World Cup Champions edition.
Pretty maids flying formation. The golden car represents the most recent addition to Germany’s World Cup triumphs.
And here parading high above Bangkok.

Today I went to the 200th Starbucks store in Thailand. Not that I have been to all 200, that this is my ambition. I just went there to have a short Caffé Latte and read my book over lunch. But her’s the kicker. The latte, even a short one is not cheap 90ThB ($3), but regardless what you think about Starbucks, the big corporate coffee behemoth they are now, they are doing something right. This store I visited – the only one out in the northern cuts of Bangkok – has got the same ambient as every other store in the world. And if you like that then more power to you. Starbucks is like a save haven when you are abroad and get a bit homesick. But the reason I write this today is, because Starbucks also has the details right – again regardless if you like that or not. But the simple latte-art of a heart in my froth, is just making me smile and lifting my spirits. If the beverage is then served with a friendly smile, the 90ThB don’t hurt that much anymore.

But enough of that. I just wanted to point out, that while entrepreneurial concepts are great, a detailed implementation is oh so critical for a strong brand and success.

Soak that up. If they add a dedicated smokers area a desperate man can order The Works – a fast fac while sipping on a latte, nibbling on a cookie followed by a post-coital cigarette. It hits all stereotypes when it comes to us man and quick disposable sex …. what are we animals, brainless, instinct driven primates (well, may be we are, hut that’s mot the issue here)? The issue is that this sort of service can only originate in Thailand.

Today is a mixed bag, the use of remainders and remnants, journalistic Bauerng’röstl. I have two more images from Molybdenopolis, from the warehouse district. I have a still life and I have a sunset that was proudly presented to us by Mother Nature.
Molybdenopolis, a town build on ore mining and metal processing. A town such as this surely avails over warehouses where the goods can be stored until they are shipped and that’s what we have here. The warehouse district at sunrise.
The same neighborhood a few minutes later, with the sun already much higher on the horizon.
You see it was a beautiful day in Molybdenopolis. From what I hear, the Molybdenites we’re celebrating Germany’s victory in the Football World Cup in Brazil over Argentina. Toolinguria, does not have a football team that would be anywhere close to qualifying for any tournament. They stink, but apparently, Toolinguria sends a strong team to the Scottish Highland Games every year. Who knew?
NEXT! Still life, so we can calm down from all this Toolinguria warehouse district excitement.
No need for me to comment….enjoy the feeling of being transcended.
Onwards to the closing images of yesterday ….in fact the closing of the day that was yesterday – Wednesday.
Mother Nature staged her show right as we were enjoying dinner – an interruption of sorts, but it was worth it.
And you know it was worth it, when it’s worth it in colour AND black and white.

Stay sharp and find and enjoy your own mixed bags of whatever…mixed stuff.

Football World Champions 2014
Man Of The Tournament: Sebastian Schweinsteiger
Runner Of The Tournament: Thomas Müller
Keeper Of The Tournament: Manuel Neuer
Discovery Of The Tournament: Andre Schürrle
Lost Player Of The Tournament: Mehzud Özil, where were you?

On our way home from Khao Yai through the rainy jungle, we stopped at the Noen Hom Café. We enjoyed in a very civilized manner a Caffe Latte and while Barbara followed the call of the wild, I found still lives.
I have mentioned it a few times that these flowers are my favorites here in Thailand. Their shape is simple with five petals, but perfect. While the shape is perfect the fragrant smell is just over the top, especially in the hot humid jungle climate we had today. The flower arrangement was such that the part the happened in the makeshift vase was just as interesting as a still live as the flower itself.
Cool, huh… ?
Well, the short trip was really relaxing. I got a lot of shit out of my system and feel very relaxed now – Khao Yai is by far the best thing about living in Bangkok, a mere two hours north by car. In fact it is similar to living in. Minnesota, where people also go up north for about two hours to their cabin.
And with that odd comparison, I leave to to the ret of your weekend.
Stay sharp and root for Germany later today to defeat Argentina and claim the World Cup!